It’s that time of year again! You’ll see all sorts of cleanses abound this January, making all kinds of crazy claims. But common sense is a good first rule of thumb. (No, a vodka cleanse probably is not the best idea.) And you may want to take stock of what your personal goals are before embarking on a new cleanse program. Here are 5 things to consider before doing a detox.
1. How’s your tummy doing?
For years I thought my midsection looked the way it did because I had never gotten back to a flat tummy after having 2 children. I thought, “Oh well, I love my kids and I guess this is the consequence of having carried them for 9 months each.” Boy, was I wrong! I discovered, by a process of elimination, that it was gluten that was causing daily bloating in my gut, and making a flat pre-pregnancy tummy feel like a pipe dream. By eliminating the major toxic triggers in my diet, and then slowly adding them in one by one, I was able to identify what my body was clearly trying to tell me — gluten was not good for my tummy goals. A detox program allows you to eliminate the most common problem foods and lets you test what might be a trigger for you.
2. What’s your energy level?
Many of us are dependent on caffeine and/or sugar to give us a jolt of energy. When your blood sugar is out of whack, or you’re not getting enough rest, these shortcuts make us feel like “yes, we can do it all!” But truly listening to your body is the most effective way to get consistent energy and avoid burning out our adrenals, the glands that pump out cortisol aka the stress hormone. By eliminating caffeine and added sugars, you’re able to push the reset button on your body’s own energy source and get off the hamster wheel. I love hearing the shock in people’s voices when they tell me they actually have more energy than ever before, and without coffee! Now for you caffeine addicts out there who think giving up coffee sounds like a deal breaker, please note that green tea is allowed on our detox :-)
3. Do you feel radiant?
You’ve heard the saying that beauty comes from the inside out, right? I firmly believe that you are what you eat, and science backs it up too. Studies shows that removing toxins from your body, eliminating inflammatory foods which promote acne, and adding in nutrients and healthy fats contribute to healthy, glowing skin. Your skin is your largest organ, so it makes sense that what you put in your mouths is as important as the products you put on your skin. Some women just have that glow that starts from within and radiates throughout their whole being. The secret is clean whole foods. Don’t be surprised when you’re out and people say, “I’ll have what she’s having.”
4. Do you have any bad eating habits?
Is 4 pm a witching hour where you just have to have some sugar? Is it the evening glass of wine that you feel like you can’t unwind without? Or maybe it’s rushing through meals, eating in front of your computer, or skipping meals altogether. Most of us have less than mindful moments when it comes to food, and breaking patterns that we’ve had for years can feel near impossible. Doing a cleanse program helps you slow down, put some thought back into what’s at the end of your fork, and gives you the opportunity to reflect on what you’re putting in your body and why. When your food is 100% plant-based, grown from healthy organic soil, and designed to deliver the most nutrients with the best taste, you might find yourself relishing mealtime and having a moment of zen 3 times a day.
5. How stressed are you?
Most New Yorkers I know are busy and stressed. We hide it well and we’ve developed our tools to handle it, be it exercise or therapy or socializing with good friends. But the bottom line is, we could all use some more self-care. For women especially, we often put ourselves and our needs at the bottom of our to-do list, and then inevitably we run out of time. With the beginning of a new year comes a feeling of rebirth and the sense that anything is possible. Let’s put our own self-care and self-love at the top of that resolution list this 2017. I’ve always felt that in most households and relationships, when the woman is happy, the rest of the family is happy. As a natural caregiver - whether it be as a mother, wife, friend or girlfriend - when a woman puts her health and happiness as the number one priority, everyone else gets to enjoy and experience the love as well. When a woman is feeling low or insecure or taken for granted, resentment and frustration follow. Taking the time to restore and renew one’s own happiness tank is a priority above all and the ripple effect on your community is immeasurable.
Take care of yourself in 2017. Do things that make YOU happy. Nourishing foods in your body, prepared with love. Exercise that not only moves your body but feels like bliss, not punishment. Time to sit and meditate or just doing nothing. Pleasure in all aspects of your body. No one detox is going to deliver the results you want until you make the decision to treat yourself with love. The best part? You're not alone. We are here to help you on your journey, every small or large step of the way, and we can’t wait to see the results.